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Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms Used in In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

  • Assisted Hatching: A laboratory technique where the outer shell of the embryo is thinned to facilitate implantation into the uterine wall.
  • Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART): Medical procedures used primarily to address infertility. This includes procedures like IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and cryopreservation.
  • Blastocyst Culture: Growing embryos to the blastocyst stage (5-6 days old) for improved implantation chances.
  • Blastocyst Transfer: Transferring embryos at the blastocyst stage (5-6 days old) for improved implantation chances.
  • Blastocyst: A stage of embryo development, typically reached five to six days after fertilization, when the embryo is ready for implantation into the uterus. Late-stage embryo with an inner cell mass (developing embryo) and an outer trophectoderm (forms the placenta).
  • Catheter: A thin tube used for procedures.
  • Cleavage: Early embryo cell division.
  • Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation (COH): Hormone injections to stimulate egg production.
  • Conventional insemination: Placing sperm in a dish with eggs for natural fertilization.
  • Cryopreservation: The process of freezing eggs, sperm, or embryos for use in future ART cycles.
  • Culture Media: Nutrient-rich fluid supporting embryo growth.
  • Ectopic Pregnancy: Embryo implanted outside the uterus.
  • Egg Donation: The process by which a woman donates eggs for purposes of assisted reproduction or biomedical research.
  • Egg Retrieval: A surgical procedure to collect the eggs from the ovaries.
  • Embryo Culture: The process of growing embryos in the laboratory after fertilization.
  • Embryo Transfer: The process of placing an embryo into the uterus of a female with the intent to establish a pregnancy.
  • Embryo: An early stage of development that follows fertilization of an egg by a sperm.
  • Endometrial Lining: The lining of the uterus, where the embryo implants.
  • Endometrium: The lining of the uterus.
  • Estrogen: A hormone used in some IVF protocols to support the development of the endometrial lining.
  • Fertility Clinic: A medical clinic that specializes in helping couples and individuals who want to have children but are experiencing fertility issues.
  • Fertility: The natural capability to conceive children.
  • Fertility: The natural capability to conceive children.
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH): A hormone given to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs.
  • Follicle: A fluid-filled sac in the ovary that contains an immature egg (oocyte).
  • Follicular Aspiration: Retrieving eggs from the ovaries using ultrasound guidance.
  • Gestational Carrier: A woman who carries and delivers a child for another person or couple. The gestational carrier has no genetic link to the child.
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH): A hormone that controls the release of FSH and LH from the pituitary gland.
  • Gonadotropins: Hormones used to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs.
  • Hormonal Assays: Blood tests to measure levels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, important for monitoring the progress of IVF treatment.
  • Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG): A hormone injected to trigger ovulation after follicular development during IVF.
  • Implantation: The process by which an embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus.
  • In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): A process of fertilization where an egg is combined with sperm outside the body, in vitro ("in glass").
  • Incubator: Controlled environment for embryo development.
  • Insemination: Mixing sperm with eggs to facilitate fertilization.
  • Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): Injecting a single sperm directly into an egg for cases of severe male infertility.
  • Luteal Phase Support: Medications used after embryo transfer to help support the uterine lining and increase the chances of implantation.
  • Luteinizing Hormone (LH): A hormone involved in triggering ovulation.
  • Miscarriage: Pregnancy loss after embryo transfer.
  • Morula: Compact ball of cells formed after several rounds of cleavage.
  • Multiple Pregnancy: Carrying twins, triplets, or more after embryo transfer.
  • Oocyte Activation: Initiating the egg's activation process for fertilization.
  • Oocyte Retrieval: The actual process of collecting eggs.
  • Oocyte: A mature egg cell.
  • Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS): Excessive fluid buildup in the ovaries after COH.
  • Ovarian Stimulation: The use of medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs during one menstrual cycle.
  • Polar Bodies: Small cells expelled from the egg during maturation.
  • Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD): A technique used to identify genetic defects in embryos created through IVF before pregnancy.
  • Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT): A procedure used to test embryos for genetic abnormalities before transferring them to the uterus.
  • Progesterone: A hormone used to prepare the lining of the uterus for implantation and to support early pregnancy.
  • Pronucleus: Sperm and egg nuclei before fusion.
  • Reproductive Endocrinologist: A doctor who specializes in the treatment of disorders related to fertility, menstruation, and menopause.
  • Semen Analysis: Assesses sperm count, motility, and morphology.
  • Sperm Donation: The process by which a man donates semen, the fluid containing sperm, to help an individual or a couple conceive a baby.
  • Sperm Washing: A process in which individual sperm are separated from the semen for use in IVF or intrauterine insemination (IUI).
  • Sperm: Male reproductive cells.
  • Surrogacy: An arrangement where a woman (surrogate mother) agrees to bear a child for another person or couple, who will become the child's parent(s) after birth.
  • Traditional Surrogacy: A form of surrogacy where the surrogate mother is also the egg donor, and therefore genetically related to the child.
  • Transcervical Catheter: Thin tube inserted through the cervix to place embryos into the uterus.
  • Transvaginal Ultrasound (TVS): Monitors follicle growth and endometrial thickness.
  • Transvaginal Ultrasound-Guided Follicular Aspiration: Using ultrasound to guide a needle through the vagina and into the follicles to aspirate eg
  • Ultrasound Guidance: Ensures accurate embryo placement.
  • Ultrasound Monitoring: The use of ultrasound to visualize the ovaries and developing follicles during treatment.
  • Ultrasound: Imaging technique used for monitoring ovulation and follicles.
  • Zygote: The initial cell formed when a sperm cell unites with an egg cell.

The Developmental Stages of a Human Egg (Oogenesis):

  • Oogonium Stage: This is the earliest stage where cells that will become eggs are formed. These cells are called oogonia and are created within the ovaries of a female fetus. Oogonia multiply by mitosis and form primary oocytes.
  • Primary Oocyte Stage: Primary oocytes start meiosis but stop at prophase I during fetal development. They remain in this suspended state until puberty.
  • Follicular Development: During a woman's reproductive years, some primary oocytes resume meiosis I every menstrual cycle. The primary oocyte, surrounded by layers of cells forming a follicle, grows and matures in the ovary.
  • Secondary Oocyte and First Polar Body Formation: Meiosis I is completed just before ovulation, forming a secondary oocyte and a small cell called the first polar body. The secondary oocyte immediately starts meiosis II but stops at metaphase II.
  • Ovulation: The secondary oocyte is released from the ovary during ovulation. If fertilization occurs, meiosis II (MII) will continue.
  • Fertilization and Ootid Formation: If a sperm cell penetrates the secondary oocyte, meiosis II resumes. The secondary oocyte divides to form an ootid and a second polar body.
  • Mature Ovum: Finally, the ootid undergoes a period of maturation to become a mature ovum, or egg, capable of being fertilized to form a zygote, the first stage of a new individual.
EggDonors4All egg donor agency — FDA registered NY licensed since 2008

Egg donation is a process where a woman (the egg donor) provides one or several eggs (also known as oocytes) for purposes of assisted reproduction, with the eggs being fertilized in the laboratory. Once fertilized, the resulting embryos are transferred to the recipient’s uterus to initiate a pregnancy, or they can be cryopreserved (frozen) for future use.

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